Combined eyecup and dispensing means



May 11, 1937. M. H. HARRIS COMBINED EYECUP AND DISPENSING MEANS Filed Jan. 9, 1936 V INVENTOR. Moses Harris.

ATTORNEY.

Patented May 11, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINED EYECUP AND DISPENSDNG MEANS 3 Claims.

This invention relates to combined eye-cups and eye-lotion dispensers, and has for one of its objects the provision of a device of this character which may be directly attached or secured to a bottle in order that when it is desired to wash or bathe the eyes, the bottle can be inverted and the valve mechanism manipulated for dispensing a suitable amount of lotion.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a device by the use of which the amount of lotion dispensed may be regulated at will.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combined bottle, eye-cup, dispenser and closure for maintaining the said eye-cup in a sanitary condition at all times.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the nature referred to which will enable the lotion to be handily and economically dispensed.

Another object is to produce'a device of the character described in which the maximum simplicity of construction and operation is secured.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the nature of the improvements is better understood, the invention consisting substantially in the novel arrangement and co-relation of parts herein fully described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein similar reference characters are used to describe corresponding parts throughout the several views, and then finally pointed out and specifically defined and indicated in the appended claims.

The disclosure made the basis of exemplifying the present inventive concept suggests a practical embodiment thereof, but the invention is not to be restricted to the exact details of this disclosure, and the latter, therefore, is to be understood from an illustrative, rather than a restrictive standpoint.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions, one of which, for the purpose of illustration, is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is an enlarged fragmental longitudinal sectional View of the upper portion of a bottle showing my improved eye-cup, lotion dispenser and closure means as applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 22 Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the dispensing valve slides;

Fig. 4 is a side view of my improved eye-cup and Fig. 5 is a fragmental longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of the invention.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, In indicates a bottle. The upper or neck portion thereof may be provided with an internal thread I2 adapted to receive the hollow threaded stem l3 of an eye-cup I4 having spaced apart upper and lower walls I 5 and I6 respectively located directly above the hollow threaded stem I3. The upper wall I5 may be provided with a pair of oppositely disposed openings or slots l1 and a central opening IB and the lower wall I6 10 is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed openings l9 normally in alignment with the innermost ends of the slots H.

A slideway 20 is formed between the walls l5 and I6 in which there is slidably mounted a pair of slides 2| each provided with an opening 22 which openings are normally in alignment with the outer ends of the slots I! but out of alignment with the openings l9 in the lower wall IS. The said slides 2| are each provided at their outer ends with a finger-piece 23 and at their inner ends with pins or posts 24 for supporting a coiled spring 25 which exerts an outward tension on the slides 2| and maintains the slots H! and 22 out of alignment. The pins 24 are 25 normally pressed against the edge of the opening 3 and thus limit the outward movement of the slides 2 I. The eye-cup, slides, pins and spring may all be made of non-corrosive metal or they may all, with the exception of the spring, be made of any other suitable material such as composition, hard rubber, etc. If desirable the bottle may be provided with an outwardly threaded shoulder 26 which is adapted to receive the threaded end 21 of a hollow closure member 28 made of metal or other suitable material for enclosing the eye-cup when same is not in use.

To operate and use the device, the cap or closure 28 is removed, the bottle ID is inverted, the eye-cup I4 is placed over the eye and the slides 2| are then pressed inwardly against the tension of the spring 25. As soon as the openings 22 in the slides 2| come into alignment with the openings |9 in the wall Hi, the lotion commences to flow into the eye-cup and when the user or operator feels that a suflicient amount of the lotion has flowed into the cup, he releases the slides 2| and the spring 25 returns the slides into normal position with the valve openings l9 and 22 out of alignment. It will thus be seen that both the rapidity of the flow of the lotion as well as the amount thereof can be regulated by my improved device. The rate of speed of the flow is regulated by the amount of overlap of the openings I 9 and 22, and the amount of lotion used is regulated by the duration of such overlapping.

It will be understood that instead of two valve slides, only a single one may be used and instead of screwing the stem is into the neck of the bottle it may be screwed on the outside thereof.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modified form of the invention, wherein, instead of the spring I employ a resilient pad 5 made of a suitable grade of rubber or other material adapted for the pur-' pose of exertinga tension on the slides 2|. The said pad 25 may be secured to the wall It by means of a screw 38 or by any other suitable.

means.

From the foregoing, it will b eseenthat i have provided a sanitary device for applying a lotion to the eyes and one in which the amount of 10- tion used can be regulated to prevent an overflow of the said lotion and wetting'of the face.

While I have shown and described my invention as applicable to eye-lotions, it will readily be seen that the-same may be applied or used in connection with other liquid medicaments or lotions.

It will also be seen that instead of the eye-cup being provided with the two walls l5 and I6 a single thick wall may be provided with the slideway 20 therein.

'I-Iaving described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patents 1. A dispensing device adapted to be secured to the neck of a container, said device comprising a cup having a bottom provided with a depending tubular stem for engagement with the neck of a container in communication with the interior of the container, the said bottom being formed with a diametrically extending passage open at its ends and having upper and lower walls, the upper wall being formed with a central opening and with ;radial slots spaced from opposite sides of the central opening, the lower wall having openings aligned with inner end portions of said slots, closure strips slidably received in said passage through ends thereof with their outer portions projecting from opposite sides of the bottom,

openings being formed in the inner end portions of said closures to register with the openings and slots of the walls of the passage when the closures are forced inwardly, pins extending upwardly from said inner end portions of said closures through the central opening of the upper wall, and means between the pins for exerting expansive force and urging the closures outwardly to a position disposing their openings out of register with the openings of the lower walls of the passage.

2. A dispensing device adapted to be applied to a container, saiddevice comprising a disk-like body, means for connecting said body with the container, said body being formed with a diametrically extending passage having upper and lower walls, the upper wall having an opening leadin'g'upwardlyfrom the passage and discharge openings spaced from the first opening at opposite sides-thereof, the lower wall having discharge openings aligned with the discharge openings of the upper wall, closure plates slidable in said passage with portions projecting outwardly from ends thereof, pins extending from said plates through the first opening and limiting outwardmovement of the plates to an extended position by engaging margins of the first opening, and a spring between said pins yieldably holdingthe plates extended, said plates having openings registering I with openings of both wallsof the passage when the plates are forced inwardly and being. disposed out of registry with the openings in the lower wall of the passage when the plates are extended.

3. A dispensing. device for a container, said device comprising a body constituting a closure for the container and being formed with a diametrical passage, plates slidable in said passage longitudinally thereof from opposite ends and having discharge openings between upper and lower walls of the passage, the upper and lower walls of the passage being formed with aligned discharge openings and the upper wall having an opening between its discharge openings, pins extending from saidplates through the last mentioned opening of the upper wall and limiting outward movement of. the plates, and yieldable means between said pins urging the plates outwardly=and-yieldably maintaining the plates in a normal position with openings of the plates out of registry with the aligned discharge openings of the passage.

MOSES H. HARRIS. 

